


That Day

by Tshilaba



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Character Analysis, F/M, Gen, Original Character Death(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-03-06 23:29:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3152315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tshilaba/pseuds/Tshilaba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Whenever Hanji thinks back, it's always -that day-.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my headcanon for Hanji's back story. It's wholly un-beta-d, so if you find any errors, please let me know and I'll fix them ASAP.

Life is unpredictable. Maybe there's no explanation for it. Maybe, there is, but no creature is meant to know it. Perhaps it just...is, and that's all there is, was, and ever will be.

_Winter 832, somewhere outside the walls._

"Damn! That was a fast bastard, eh, Erwin?" a raven-haired man shouted as he landed on the ground.

The blond man, Erwin, didn't respond. In truth  he was curious about their location; it was very well-kept...for a village nestled in Titan territory. He walked to a nearby building, whose roof seemed to have been removed during the Titans' pillaging.  _Perhaps that was what we found a few metres from the village entrance_ , he mused idly to himself as he leaned into the doorway--the door hanging haphazardly off its hinges. He peered around the home, for that was clearly what it had once been, briefly in the vain hope of finding a survivor. He sighed and turned to leave. He should have known better tha-- _  
_

There was a creaking, then a shuffling.

Erwin turned to see a small child scrambling from under the huge table--presumably oak--in the corner. The child stood up tentatively, looking around anxiously for a few moments as they pushed their glasses up the bridge of their nose. They looked to be male, but then, he reasoned, one could never be sure what customs the humans outside the walls had. Besides, the child's messy brunet hair stuck out at odd angles from the short ponytail it was thrown in.

"Are those monsters gone?" the child asked quietly.

"Yes," Erwin replied.

"And my parents? My neighbors?" Those soft brown eyes seemed to be searching his, praying for an answer...

"I'm afraid you're the only one..." He didn't add  _that we've found alive,_ but the child seemed to know.

"Oh." Their long bangs fell into their eyes as they bowed their head and turned away.

"What's your name?" he pressed gently.

"Hange." The child looked up. "Hange, Zoë."

"Well, Hange, my name is Erwin. Come with me, please."

_That's my_ surname, the child thought bitterly, but followed the soldier out.

Keith Shadis looked up as Erwin walked up. "Ah, Erwin," he said. "Nice to see you made it."

Erwin saluted his commander respectfully.

"At ease, soldier." He noticed the brunet peeking out from behind the tall blond man. "A survivor?" he asked, slight astonishment in his voice. Rightfully so, as most of the village had been trampled by the Titans, either through their clumsy, lumbering feet, or death collapses.

"Yes, sir," Erwin replied. "I found--"

"Her," the brunette supplied firmly.

"I found her in the roofless house just a few metres from the south end of the village," the blond said.

"Name?"

"Hange Zoë."

She twitched.  _How does that NOT sound wrong to them? The people behind the walls must be stupid..._

"Well," Keith said. "There's nothing to be done. We'll take Hange back to HQ." He missed the dark look on the brunette's face. "Can't leave survivors for those bastards. Did you find the rest of the family?"

"No, sir. I wouldn't have found her if she hadn't crawled out from her hiding spot under the table."

"Lucky she is," another soldier said. "I'm surprised the monsters didn't find her."

"Maybe the fuckers thought she was dead!"

"Enough!" the commander said firmly, silencing them immediately. "Erwin, can you take her own your horse?"

"Yes, sir."

"Right. Then we need to rejoin the other squads and make our back inside the walls."

"YES, SIR," the squad roared in response.

Within minutes, she'd been swept up onto the blond man's horse, preparing for the trip back to the wall, and forcing herself to just get used to being called by her surname as her father had instilled too much respect in her to correct an elder.

\---

The trip had been uneventful at best. All there was to look at was sky and ground, which became very monotonous. She'd gone through so many conversations since she'd been brought behind the walls she was surprised her voice wasn't gone.

The brunette paced the floor of the temporary room she'd been given. She felt anxious, on edge, and restless. She was used to being allowed to go wherever she wished, so long as she was home by sunset. But even then she normally spent hours leaning out the window to stare at the sky. It was...maddening.  _I feel like a caged animal..._ The door closed behind her with a snap.

"How are you?" Erwin rumbled quietly.

She shrugged in response. "How am I supposed to be?" she asked, barely looking at him over her shoulder before walking over to the window and leaning her palms against the sill, pressing her forehead against the cool glass pane. "In a cage like this, what do you expect of me?"

"If you need to go for a walk simply tell the innkeeper how long you'll be out. There's no need to coop yourself up in here. Go out and meet someone," he replied.

She frowned ever so slightly. Of course he would misunderstand. He had no idea what it was like to be born with something only to have it snatched away in the blink of an eye. It wasn't  _fair_.

"So, what do you plan to do?" he pressed on.

"I'm gonna join the Survey Corps," she answered softly, "and destroy the monsters that stole my parents. I'm gonna destroy every last one of 'em even if it kills me."

"You can't start the training until you're twelve; the training is three years."

"That's three years I have to sit on my hands!" she cried in outrage, whirling around.

"You're nine?"

"Yes. I was born in the late summer of 823," she said.

"I see. In that case, you should begin going to school," he replied. "Don't give me that look," he went on when she looked incredulously at him. "Every child under the age required to go into the military must go to school."

"Another rule those pigs in the capital dreamed up?" the brunette countered, her lip curling slightly into a sneer. "Another way to drive the message deeper? To remind us that we're nothing more than sheep for the slaughter? I haven't even been here a week and I see it plain as day. They're just content sheep!"

_So that's why she feels this way._ "How can you be so sure of your accusations?"

"I hear it in their voices." She paused, turning back to the window. When she spoke again, her voice was strained. "Pixis believes there's no threat. The walls have held for decades, and no Titan has ever... But why...how can humans be content in a _cage_? We're here for a reason..."

"Hange..." he began, but she cut him off.

"If they won't fight, then _I_ will," she said. "The Wings of Freedom...they're the symbol of the Survey Corps, right? One day I'm gonna wear 'em. And then I'll destroy the wolves and this infernal cage. Then we'll be free, like we should be."

Erwin smiled softly at the brunette's fire before saluting, placing his right fist over his heart. "Then I look forward to fighting alongside you, Hange Zoë."

She grinned. "I look forward to it as well, Erwin."

He nodded. "I'll bring the registration papers by shortly," he said, turning to leave.

"Erwin?"

"Yes?"

"Can we put  _any_ name?"

"I don't see why not. But, do you mind if I ask why?"

There was the faintest hint of an almost impish light in her chocolate brown eyes as she responded, "I want a fresh start."

He realized as time went on, that he should be wary of her when she got that look. But, for the present  he nodded and left.


	2. Even the Longest Road Requires a First Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many things can be built with the dreams of children...

She'd decided not to correct their belief in the order of her name. In fact, she reasoned, it was all for the better that her registration papers read  _Hanji Zoë_. She preferred to keep her distance and focus on her goal: the Survey Corps. Then she would have her freedom.

Time seemed to drag on like sand clogged in an hourglass. The institution didn't aim to  _teach_ , she realized within just a few days. It aimed to control, to bind most, if not all, innovation. And she hated it nearly as much as the Titans who had driven her into its clutches.

_Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk._

"...Hanji, what on earth are you doing?" Erwin asked.

The brunette continued thumping her head against the corner of the building, seeming not to hear the blond at all.

"Hanji." She continued thumping her hand until he yanked her away. Her glasses dangled precariously close to the end of her nose;  _I need to do something about that_ , he thought as he pushed them back up the bridge of her nose gently. "Why are you slamming your head?"

She scowled and rubbed her forehead in aggravation. She didn't answer him, glaring slightly off into space.

"Hanji..."

"I figured if I did it enough I'd be as ignorant as them. Or, at least, better able to tolerate 'em," she said finally.

Erwin sighed and set his hands on her shoulders as he knelt down to look her in the eyes. "Now. Tell me what good you'll do anyone if you give yourself brain damage?"

"But--"

"Hanji, you may be a thin, lanky, bespectacled girl who prefers to hole up in the library than get involved with people. But you have a great mind. Don't ruin it for them."

She sighed and her shoulders slumped visibly. "It's so infuriating though!" she cried. "They don't want us to think. Just regurgitate pointless facts about the king. I want to  _learn_ , Erwin. I want to be free again. I hate feeling like a caged animal!"

"I know," he said. "But if you cause any sort of disruption, they may think you're more hassle than they want."

She frowned, a thoughtful look on her face. "So...so if I try to speak out...they'll have me tried for treason?"

 _She's a smart girl. Perhaps a little too smart for her own well-being._ "More than likely."

Hanji studied the man's face for a few moments in silence ad she reevaluated her most pressing requirements. "Alright," she said after some time. "I'll be a good little girl and pull a sheep's wool over my fox ears. For now."

He had no idea what she meant by the latter part of her statement  but reasoned it was safe to assume she'd keep her nose clean for the time being. "Good," he said, before ruffling her hair affectionately.

She giggled, even though it made her already haphazard hair even moreso.

\---

She was true to her word for the next five years, though she had a few run-ins from her constant declarations that she was going to destroy the Titans so that humans could be free once more. A year into her confirmed Erwin's suspicions that she had a useful head on her shoulders, when she actually listened to it. But, as Keith Shadis had said on occasions too numerous for Erwin to recall, she was absolutely horrid with people.

"I really don't get it," Shadis said as they watched the trainees. "She's an exceptional strategist, I won't deny that. And she's not too shabby with the 3DMG or hand-to-hand combat. But...she's shit when it comes to being mindful of her comrades. It's like she believes she can take on every Titan on her own."

"With all due respect, Sir," Erwin said as he watched the brunette roundhouse kick her sparring partner in the jaw.  _She's not even_ attempting  _to soften her blows._ "She's determined to prove herself. Even if it means eliminating all of the competition in the process."

"Reckless... She wouldn't last a minute on the battlefield."

"Sir, please don't underestimate her."

"Do you know something I don't, Smith?"

Hanji attempted to pin her partner, only to be sent skidding across the ground from some quick manuevering by the smaller, silver-haired girl. Rico Brzenska was probably the worst possible sparring partner for the brunette, in quite a few ways. Rico's calm and almost disinterested manner only fuelled the taller trainee's rage, making her even more reckless.

Erwin pursed his lips thoughtfully. "...she wants to be free, sir, because confined within these walls she feels as if she cannot learn," he said finally.

Shadis nodded momentarily. "Hanji. Rico."

Both girls froze. "Yes  sir."

"I want you to trade. Hanji, spar with Andries. Jarvis Andries. Rico, spar with his partner, Mike Zacharius."

"Sir?" Erwin said as the girls saluted and did as the officer commanded.

"They're more similar. Perhaps if Hanji has to deal with someone as reckless as she is, she'll learn to control herself."

Erwin couldn't help but snort at the statement. If he knew Hanji, having to face a mirror would only push her harder.

Hanji eyed the boy carefully, sizing him up. He was a little taller than her, with quite a bit more muscle. But she was on the thin side anyway. She dropped into a fighting stance cautiously  watching as the sandy haired boy across from her did the same. She lunged forward to rabbit punch him, but he flipped her over almost effortlessly. She hit the ground, hard, on her back.

"C'mon, that ain't all ya got, is it?" he taunted when she didn't get up immediately.

The brunette's face seemed impassive, and Erwin wondered what she was thinking as she held her hand up. "Help me up?"

Jarvis shrugged and took her hand.

Hanji smirked and, with only a small grunt, yanked him off balance and slammed him down to the ground behind her head before rolling to her feet.

"You're crazy, yanno that?" he said as he pushed himself to his feet. "Really crazy."

The brunette laughed in response before lunging forward again, feinting her previous move before slipping under his arm and slamming her elbow square into the middle of his back, rolling to the side to avoid a counterattack.

Jarvis grunted and stumbled a bit before whirling back around and lunging for her, taking her to the ground. But the moment her head cracked against the ground, her world faded to darkness.

"...guess the second time was too much."

"Doesn't have a concussion, does she?"

"If she's got brain damage, won't she have to be discharged?"

Hanji frowned and opened her eyes slowly. After the the darkness, the gas lights were blinding. Blinking a few times to get her eyes to adjust, she noticed her vision was blurry. They must have taken her glasses while she was out of it. "...hey... Erwin?"

The blond turned around upon hearing his name. "Oh, you're awake. Here." He pushed her glasses onto her face gently. "How are you feeling?"

"Eh, a li'l' groggy, but that's to be expected," she mumbled. "What's this about discharge? It's just a bump. It's nothin'! It's less than nothin'! Really!"

Erwin set his hands on her shoulders gently. "Calm down. You're not being discharged. Now, you have a guest, so I'll leave you two alone." He walked to the door and spoke a few words before he disappeared down the hall.

She recognized the sandy hair instantly. "Come to pour salt in the wound?"

Jarvis shook his head. "No. I wanted to apologize."

She cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"We were only sparring. I didn't need to throw you like that.'

She shrugged. "Ain't nowhere as bad as gettin' hit by a Titan," she answered. She motioned towards the end of the bed.

He sat down, running a hand through his hair. "Why are you so determined to be at the top? Military Police?"

"Of course not," she bristled. "I want nothing to do with those self-fattened pigs in the capital. I'm gonna wear the Wings of Freedom and take down every last Titan in existence."

"I see..."

"What about you? Garrison? That's where Rico insists she's going."

"Nah. Dad wants me in the MP."

"Oh..."

"But, I think I wanns join you an' fly with the Survey Corps. If you'll have me, that is."

"I..."

"I understand if you think I'm just a pig like the rest..."

"Andries..." she began, before trailing uncertainly. "When I said that, I--"

"It's true. The government doesn't give a damn 'bout us.  The MPs are nothing but bullies. We're just not on the schoolyard anymore. We don't have to take it. We can fight back. So why are we letting bullies push us around? Not just the Military Police, the Titans as well. We're meant to be free, right? That's why we humans used to have control of the world before the Titans came. We kicked the asses of every bastard that tried to take our place. Why are we sittin' on our asses now?"

"Humans get complacent," she said quietly. When he looked at her weirdly, she went on. "A long time ago, my father told me that man's greatest flaw is his own complacency. He'd kill his own brother if it gave him what he wanted. But once he has it..."

"He sits down on his throne and grows fat with his plunder."

She snorted. "Well said. You're not half bad, Andries."

"Hey, if we're gonna be friends, call me Jarvis."

"Sure ya want that?" she asked, grinning.

"Why wouldn't I? It's nice to find someone who doesn't wanna be part of the flock and serve those sorry ass swine."

"Fair enough. Whaddaya say we kick Rico outta the top rank?"

Jarvis laughed. "Not sure she'll be happy about that. Li'l' Princess thinks she's gonna succeed Pixis."

Hanji snorted. "Screw that. One day we're gonna have command of the Survey Corps."

"Nah."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"I don't wanna lead. You'll be commander, and I'll be your second-in-command. Your right hand man."

They fell over laughing at that.


	3. Given Opportunities May Soon Turn Sour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes questions can only be answered through experience.

Two years later, they stood side by side, in the second and third rankings, just under Braun Ferdinand.

_"Li'l' prick probably sucked up to the commander," Jarvis had said, causing Hanji to snort with laughter, earning a reproachful glare from their commander._

Once the trainee corps had been disbanded, the brunette squealed. "We did it, Jarvey!" she cried, grabbing his hands and bouncing up and down.

"Act your age, Han," he said, but he was grinning.

"Don't care!" she said. "This time tomorrow we'll be flyin' the Wings o' Freedom!"

"Yes, you will, won't you?"

"Erwin!" she cried, whirling around and tackling the officer in a hug, causing her fellow rookie to snort in amusement behind her.

Erwin patted her head affectionately before whispering, "Remember the rules."

"Oh!" She quickly let go, putting a few paces between them. "No fraternization. Right. Sorry."

"It's alright. I wouldn't betray such a valuable soldier and friend."

"'M not a scout yet though," she said in confusion.

"Just remember that. Congratulations on getting into the top ten," the blond answered, patting her on the shoulder before walking away from them.

"Okay...what the hell was that?"

"Dunno," the brunette replied, shrugging. "He's always been pretty cryptic. Kinda have to be if y'wanna keep ya head, y'know?"

"You're one to talk," Jarvis snorted. "As long as I've known you, you've never made any real sense. Always hits me when 'm tryin' ta sleep..."

Hanji rolled her eyes as he trailed off.  _What_ did  _he really mean though?_

\---

She breathed slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. She was excited, of course. But she was nervous as well. Traditionally, one wasn't actually considered a proper scout until they came back from their mission. And, at the moment, the squad leaders were divying up the rookies. She smiled weakly at Jarvis when he squeezed her hand reassuringly, despite how it made her feel as if her stomach had flipped over. They were gonna be fine, she reasoned. Even Shadis admitted they were the best pair of soldiers to ever join the Survey Corps. They were a team--

"Andries, you come with me," Elsa Lieberman said, motioning for the boy.

Hanji's jaw dropped. "N-n-no," she said. "We work best together! Everyone knows that!"

"Rules from the top, don't bitch about it," the blonde said. "You're going with Smith in the commander's squad, so get your ass over there now."

The brunette frowned slightly, but sighed and did as she was told, walking over to where the squad was sitting before leaning her arms against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why the long face, Hanji?"

"I work best with Jarvis..."

"Oh, don't be sore about that," Erwin said. "Commander Shadis needs you two to develop teamwork with others."

Her scowl darkened. "I work with Jarvis coz I don't have to hold myself back to keep from leavin' him behind."

The blond sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head slowly. "Just follow orders, all right?"

"Yeah, yeah..."

"Alright! Form up and get on horseback. We're moving out!" Shadis barked.

Hanji walked over get her horse and patted the creature's cheek gently. "Hey, boy," she said quietly, stroking his fur. "You ready for our first time outside the walls?"

The gelding whinnied and nuzzled against her cheek.

She giggled. "Yeah, me too. Let's give 'em hell." She climbed up into the saddle. "C'mon, Loki."

The journey to the outer gate did nothing to ease her anxiety though, which quickly increased with each hoofbeat. She tightened her grip on Loki's reigns to still the trembling in her hands as she heard the cheers of encouragement from the crowd lining the streets. In an odd way, she felt as if she were an animal being gawked at as it was sent off to fight for their amusement.  _Why did that comparison come to mind?_ She shook herself mentally to clear the troublesome thoughts from weighing down her down and straightened her back a little. Just a few more metres and she'd be free of the walls. At least, for the length of the expedition, that was.

_Clomp. Clomp. Clomp._

She counted the hoofbeats. Maybe she'd memorize them, commit to memory just what distance stood between her and her freedom. At least it would give her something to focus on other than the empty feeling in her stomach that always came over her when she was nervous about something.

Finally, they cleared the gate, leaving the city and its people behind.

After a few dozen metres, she could contain herself no longer, dug her knees into her gelding's sides and gave a great whooping "YAHOO!" as she laughed.

Shadis whirled around on her, glaring angrily. "What in the hell are you doing? Are you trying to turn us into Titan feed before we're barely outside the walls?"

She felt her cheeks heat up in embarassment. "S-sorry, sir..."

"Commander, don't be so hard on her," Erwin said. "She probably just couldn't contain herself any longer. Besides...there's no Titans nearby, right, Mike?"

The younger man sniffed the air cautiously. "No, sir," he replied. "At least, not near enough to have heard her."

"See? No harm done."

Hanji smiled a little. He really was looking out for her; it was good to know she had a few people to do that.

Suddenly a whooping cry came from the far end of the regiment causing  the brunette to laugh aloud.

"Just let them be, Commander," Erwin said in an undertone to Shadis. "At least you'll always know where they are."

Shadis snorted in derision. "The most eager usually piss themselves before the first day is done," he said.

"I think she'll surprise you, if you let her, sir."

"We'll see, Smith."

"Sir, there's a patch of woods coming up. Just out of sight," Mike said suddenly.

"Good. We'll have somewhere to camp for the night."

"Um...sir? There's Titans as well."

Shadis frowned. "Can you tell how many there are?"

"Mm..."  He sniffed a few times. "Not a lot. Couple hundred, maybe. If they're small..."

"We'll take the risk. If anything, we can get into the trees. Never seen one of them bastards climb trees. Ferdinand, you and Nanaba ready back there?"

"Yes, sir!" they answered in unison.

Hanji shot Nanaba a grin that the blonde returned. It was comforting to know that even if her first mission couldn't be with Jarvis, it'd at least be with people she didn't want to throttle...except perhaps Braun. It didn't matter though. All that mattered was annahilating the Titans.

"Mike, Hanji, Erwin?"

"Yes, sir!" Hanji cried, almost overpowering her comrades.

"And Hanji?" Shadis said, turning to look her in the eye.

"Sir?"

"Watch yourself out there. God knows we don't need to lose more rookies this time around."

She laughed, unable to help herself despite the dark look on her commander's face. "With all due respect, sir," she answered through her laughter as it died into chuckles. "It's the Titans that should be watchin'. Coz if I go down, ain't no way I'm going' down without a fight. I'll make 'em fear  _me_!"

"Just don't piss yourself!" Braun laughed.

"How 'bout I bust your teeth?" the brunette shot back angrily. "'M not scared of 'em! I've seen 'em! Unlike you, always tryin' ta act like yanno  _everything._  Ya don't know what it's like to stare death in the eyes..." She trailed off, the day from six years prior floating through her mind's eye. The screams...her mother forcing her under the table, back against the wall...the roof being ripped away... She shuddered uncontrollably, causing Loki to snort as he galloped along.

"Liar! ''M not scared of 'em!'," he mocked. "Then why'd you just--augh!" He bit his tongue as his horse stumbled on a rock.

"Guess we don't have to tell you to bite your tongue," Mike said.

"Yeah, you've already got it covered," Nanaba chuckled.

"Oh, shaddup," Braun muttered.

"All of you shut up," Shadis barked. "I asked you if you were ready, not to fight amongst yourselves. Now I don't want to hear another peep out of you until I say so."

Hanji glanced over at Nanaba, grinning, but the blonde frowned.  _Don't be stupid_ , she mouthed.

The brunette couldn't help herself. "Peep," she said.

"What was that?" Shadis rounded on her, grabbing the front of her shirt and yanking her nearly off her horse. "I thought I--"

"With all due respect, sir," she said. "You did say 'Now I don't want to hear another peep out of you until I say so.' You said 'so', which, as per your orders, allowed us to make a 'peep'." She tried to keep her face as straight as possible and hoping her precarious position wouldn't end up with her on the ground. Her first horse had thrown her within a few minutes and she could still remember the bruises that lingered for a week, making every breath painful. She trusted Loki as much as she trusted Jarvis; it was her commander's horse she was wary of.

"She's right, sir," Erwin said, straight faced as always. "Well, technically speaking, at least."

The commander frowned and released her, turning back to point. "Watch your smartass mouth, soldier."

She bit her lip, mentally kicking herself. If she kept that up, she'd probably never get to see an expedition with Jarvis...

"Alright, we're here," Shadis said. "Tie your horses here and check the surrounding area. If you encounter another squad, pass on the orders. We camp in the forest tonight. Take out any spotted Titans. Set up a guard around the forest."

"Erwin, he can't be serious," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"Setting a guard up there? That's a suicide mission!"

"You don't get it, do you," Braun said, tying his horse to a tree. " _We're_ part of that 'suicide mission'."

Hanji's jaw dropped. "He's not serious, is he?"

"'Fraid so," Mike said, patting her shoulder as she climbed off Loki's back and went about tying him. "Gotta learn somehow. C'mon, engage your 3DMG and let's go."

"Yeah, okay," she said. She pulled her triggers and launched herself into the trees. She sighed softly to herself as she landed on a tree branch, glancing around. She could hear Loki snorting as he grazed down below. _He not hear anythin' either..._ Suddenly, a sound came from her left.

"Aw, fuck, the bastards found us!"

"What directions was the commander following?!"

The brunette snorted quietly. "So I'm not the only one thinkin' guard duty's a freakin' suicide mission..."

"Of course not." Erwin landed quietly next to her. "Of course, most people assume any scout is a suicidal maniac."

" They don't know what it's like to see death. They think the wall protects 'em, but..."

The blond nodded. "They're complacent. Don't worry about them."

A thumping interrupted any further conversation as a Titan lumbered up to them.

"I got this," she said, pulling a pair of blades from her gear.

"Han--"

"Just back me up, alright?" She grinned. "Didn't come in second for nothin' yanno!" she cried, launching herself towards the Titan.

Erwin sighed. _Always so reckless..._

 _Nape of the neck_ , she reminded herself as she flew around behind her target. _Right about... there._ She reversed her momentum and ran her blades deep through the flesh, cleaving the nape out clean. She landed in the nearest tree, watching as the blood evaporated from the blades. "Whaddaya think?" she called to her squad mate.

"I think you should watch behind you," the blond replied. "You've got another coming."

"Dangit." She whirled around and dropped down. _Five metre. Seems to be slow._ She swung around, sizing the creature up. _Same go as last time._ She crossed her blades, causing them to ring as she slid them apart. "Oy! Ugly!" she called, flying past the Titan as it swatted at her.

"Hanji!"

"I got it!" She kicked off of the tree, flipping back over the Titan's head and hacking the nape out. She grabbed a tree limb, swinging herself onto it in a crouch. Sliding her blades away, she stood up, right hand resting on the hilt. "Told ya," she said, grinning impishly at the blond. "Betcha won't doubt me now, eh?"

"Not bad...for a rookie."

"Hey!"

"I'm only messing with you. Don't always take things at face value. What you show people isn't who you really are. Others are the same oftentimes."

She leaped down to the forest floor, watching as he followed suit. "Is that common here?"

"It might be. Making comrades isn't too difficult, you'll find. But finding a brother or sister off the battlefield may be more of a challenge. Especially for you, Hanji." He motioned for her to follow him back to camp.

She sighed. "But I've got you, right? An' I've got Jarvis. I'll be alright. Really. It's better not to form too many attachments, yeah? Coz it's not skill that keeps ya alive out here. It's luck..."

"Well, you're right there. You can never know how long you'll know someone. But you also can't go through life alone."

"I've got you an' Jarvis. I'll be fine."

"Just remember what I said."

"I will, I will."

That night passed slowly. The brunette tossed and turned in her pallet. She just couldn't sleep. She'd taken the first shift with Nanaba; the blonde was peacefully asleep beside her. Hanji sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees. Mike and Braun were sitting just a first metres away, leaning against the tree trunks. The moonlight tossed shadows across their faces, putting them in an almost ghostly light. She sighed and set her forehead against her knees. For some reason, her anxiety had come back the moment she'd been relieved of watch. It was infuriating, honestly.

Mike glanced over towards her. "Hey, Hanji?" he called quietly. "You should be sleeping, you know."

"Can't," she said without looking up.

He sighed and stood up, walking over to her pallet and sitting down on the ground beside her. "What's keeping you up?" he asked quietly.

She glanced up at him, studying his face carefully. She sighed and looked down at her feet. "I dunno. I just can't seem yo turn my thoughts off so I can sleep."

He chuckled softly. "Not sure you've ever been able to do that. Maybe that's not a bad thing. Means you're always thinking. Finally using that head of yours." He punched her shoulder goid-naturedly. "You're still reckless though."

Braun snorted. "She'll get us all killed one day."

Hanji clenched her fists angrily. "Shut up before I punch your teeth down your freakin' throat..." she growled.

"I'm just saying that--"

"Ferdinand, shut up," Mike said.

Braun grumbled to himself but turned away.

"I can't stand him," she mumbled. "He's such an ass."

"Well, you can be a smartass when you wanna be," Mike said.

She snorted. "Bein' sarcastic's just my defense against stupidity."

He grinned. "Well, for your sake, I think you should tone it down with the higher ups."

"Yeah, I figured." She sighed and glanced around before pushing her goggles atop her head and rubbed her eyes tiredly with the heels of her palms. _I almost forgot I left these on._ "Why do we even have watches? Titans aren't active at night, right? So what're we watchin' for? Wolves? Bears? Foxes?"

"Your guess is a good as mine, Hanji."

She yawned quietly. " Yeah, I guess. Hey...Mike?"

"Hmm?"

"Mind if I..." She yawned again, wider this time. Her head dropped against her squad mate's shoulder. "...mmm...g'night, Mike..."

"Heh. Good night, Hanji."


	4. There Will be Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When dealing with the Titans, there is always blood.

The week passed fairly uneventfully after that. At least, that was how it felt to Hanji. Day six found her up a tree with Braun next to her. Other than the company, nothing about the day could bothe her. The past five days had brought her kill count up to nine.  _Jus' one more an' I'll e at double digits. An' on my first mission too..._  She frowned slightly when she realized he was talking.

"It's all in the wrists, you know. Just a flick--"

She rolled her eyes. "How many y'killed?"

"What?"

"How many Titans have you killed?"

"Well, I..."

"I've killed nine," she said flatly. "Assisted with seven." She ignored his shocked look. Shadi had told her it was her abyssmal people skills that had dropped her to second. She didn't care. Her goal was Titan eradication, not buddy-making. And certainly not putting up with this insufferable ass. She let out a breath and scanned around. Something felt off. It was too quiet. Braun'd wanted to go this way because Mike had smelled Titans. But there hadn't been one yet...

Out of nowhere, a Titan started barreling towards them through the narrow gaps.

"Crap! He's fast," she hissed. "C'mon, Braun. Braun?"

His face was pale. And his trousers...

She snorted. "An' you called me scared." She fired the wires and dropped off the branch, swinging around. "C'mere, you great brute...."

-

"So you're in the double digits now, Hanji?"

"Yep." She grinned up at her squad mate. "Your nose was spot on, Mike. Three of 'em!"

"Wait, three?" Nanaba asked. They were waiting for Erwin and the commander to return. "But if there were three, how many did Braun get?"

The brunette snorted, covering her mouth to hide her giggles. "None. He wet himself when he saw the first one!" She collapsed back against the tree trunk, unable to contain her breathless laughter.

"Pfft. Braun pissed himself?"

"I thought I smelled that."

"Guess they really scared the piss outta him, huh?"

Hanji snickered. "Yeah. An' he was sayin'  _I_ was scared of 'em. But I've faced twelve and my trousers are still dry! Hahaha!"

"Hanji!"

"E-Erwin?"

"Can I speak with you a moment?"

She nodded and trotted over to him. "What is it?"

"Don't talk about your squad mates like that."

"But--"

"No. No buts."

"I was just jokin' though!"

"And what about when he was joking about you being afraid of the Titans? Did you consider that a joke?"

"Well...no..."

"Right. You threatened to punch his teeth in. Joke with comrades when you know them. Remember that."

"Yessir," she mumbled, looking away.

He pated her shoulder gently. "You're becoming a fine scout and comrade."

-

The final day dawned almost silently. Hanji sat up under her blanket, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Shoulda been an owl..." she said through her yawn.

Nanaba laughed. "A fox suits you better."

"Really? Eh, okay."

"Stow the chatter," Shadis barked. "Erwin, take Hanji with you today. Nanaba, you're with me. Zacharius, youv go with Ferdinand. We clear?"

"Crystal, sir!" they answered.

And then, their pallets were packed and they were going their separate ways through the trees.

"Why'd we stay in the forest this whole time?" the brunette asked.

"To make rookies like yourself ask questions."

"Oh, c'mon, Erwin!"

"We learn about the Titans by facing them, right? We have to face them to take them down."

"And we can't safely engage 3DMG on flat ground."

"Precisely."

"Makes sense, I guess..." She glanced around half-heartedly. There was no sign of them today.  _Guess my count'll stay at twelve for this expedition..._

"FUUUUCK!"

Her head snapped toward the sound. "Jarvis!" she cried, taking off.

"Hanji! Wait! Your orders were to stay with me!" Erwin called after her in vain.

"I don't give a damn 'bout orders! An' they can go to hell if Jarfis needs me!" she yelled as she disappered into the trees.

"Damn it," the blond said, engaging his gear and taking off after her.

"Jarvis!" she cried as she saw him.

"Hanji!" he cried when he looked up from his gear, the relief evident on his face.

She landed beside him. "What's wrong?" She glanced down below them. "Eulch. Tha' one has a face even a mother couldn't love," she muttered.

"You're tellin' me. Least the bastard can't reach me." He struggled fruitlessly with his gear. "Dammit! Fuckin' piece o' shit must be jammed or somethin'."

"Lemme see," she said, pushing his hands away and crouching down so she could look. She poked around for a few seconds. "Yep, I think--OWGODDAMMIT!" she yelped, yanking her fingers away.

"Snapped ya too, huh?"

"Yeah...ow." She sucked her fingertip ginerly, cautiously reaching back in with her left hand. "Yer wire's jammed," she mumbled around her finger.

"Yeah, I got that," he said. "Hurry up. Those bastards prolly heard ya scream."

"No shit," she muttered darkly. There was a metallic  _ding!_ "There. I think that's got it," she said. "Let's go." She righted herself and started to fire the wires when she noticed the Titan approaching them slowly.

Jarvis' gear jammed again, leaving him suspended between the trees. "Fuck!" he wailed, his feet just centimeters above the branch. "Goddammit, now the other side's jammed! Hanji!"

She blinked slowly.  _I know that face..._

The Titan lumbered closer, leering at them.

_I could never forget that face..._

"HANJI!" her friend wailed, wriggling helplessly. "Either kill the bastard or run!" He tried to unjam his gear only to have it pinch his finger. "GODDAMNFUCK!" he yelled, yanking his hand away. "Fuckfuckfuck! Hanji! Run!"

But his cries were falling on deaf ears. She was far away from that forest, buried in her memories of that day, six years ago. Her mother, shoving her under the table and begging her to stay out of sight. Then, her father's shouts as the roof was ripped away. And finally, their final screams dying as they were swallowed alive...

"Hanji! Run! Please! Don'--"

The Titan's hand wrappped around him, squelching the blood from his body and silencing him as it tossed him down its gullet.

The blood sprayed across her, filling her open mouth with its metallic tang. But she still stood, unmoving, too in shock to make her muscles work.  _Erwin killed it. How is it here? How? Now Jarvis? Why?_

"Hanji!" Erwin swung around behind the Titan.  _It's no good. She's locked up. Probably remembering her past..._ He sliced through the nape and let his momentum carry him back around to scoop her blood-drenched body up and take her to the ground as the Titan fell behind them. "Come on, let's go."

She stumbled numbly back to camp, oblivious to the cries of shock from her squad mates at her bloody appearance.

"What the fuck happened? I told you to watch her."

"My apologies, sir," Erwin said. "Apparently Andries was in trouble. So she took off before I could stop her."

"And Andries?"

"Dead, sir. From what I could gather as I approached the scene, his gear had jammed, leaving him vulnerable to the enemy."

"So why--"

"For some reason, Hanji locked up. She's still...well, you can see."

"Yes... Pack up, we're heading back." He turned to walk away, before pausing. "Smith?"

"Sir?"

"I don't trust her on her horse. Take her on yours."

"Yes, sir." He grabbed her shoulder and gently guided her to the horses. He sadled his mare, and saddled Loki out of a lack of anything else to do with the gear. He released his 3DMG and set it in the cart, before turning to the brunette and removing her gear. He searched her eyes briefly, but they were blank, as if she were so lost in her own hell she'd stopped existing. He sighed. "Come on." He heaved her up into the saddle before tying the gelding's reigns to his own and climbing up in front of her.

"She gonna be okay?" Nanaba asked, pulling her horse alongside Erwin's.

"All depends," he answered quietly.

"Well, at least I--"

"Braun, shut the hell up," the blonde snapped. "You pissed yourself. We're never gonna let you forget that. Leave Hanji alone though."

He grumbled and turned away.

Erwin shook his head and pressed his mare onward. Mike was to gather the other squads as they made their way out of the forest. It was going to be a long trip back to the gates. He glanced back over his shoulder at Hanji. The brunette had her hands resting between her knees, her head bowed and her hair obscuring her face.  _Recklessness is painful._ He turned forward again as the squad continued on.


	5. Time Moves On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say time heals all wounds. But maybe it just buries them deeper.

Things were quiet until the forest slipped out of sight behind them. He heard her moving slightly behind him. "Hanji?" His answer was a retching noise as vomit spattered under his mare's hind hooves. He reached back and rubbed the brunette's back gently.  _It mst have just hit her_ , he mused.

Hanji coughed weakly and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand as she sat back up, a grimace present on her face.

"You okay?" Mike asked cautiously.

She grunted in response and yanked the hood of her cape over her head to block the world out.

There wasn't another sound until the wall came into sight. Hanji started to climb onto Loki's back.

"Hanji--"

"'M not gonna be seen as weak. 'M gonna ride my horse in the gates. Or at least walkin' next to 'im..." Her voice was flat, emotionless, even defeated.

Erwin nodded and slowed his mare so that the brunette could climb onto the gelding's back without busting her face on the ground. When she was securely in the saddle, he handed her the reigns.

Hanji sighed softly and ran her fingers idly through her gelding's mane, unfocused and un-thinking. An action, like breathing, like guiding her horse back inside the walls. An action without meaning...

They made their way inside the outer gate and she slid down to the ground, patting Loki's cheek gently as she tugged his reigns a little urging him forward. The streets were crowded with villager, but she kept her eyes trained on the ground, watching as her feet traveled the path she had been so sure would lead to her freedom.

"Oh, she'll kill the Titans, alright," someone sneered.

"I knew she was a fool from the day she said she wanted to be a scout," someone else said. "Now there' the proof--covered in the blood of an innocent boy she dragged along with her. Too stupid to keep others from dying."

She bit her lip until she tasted the tang of blood. They would  _never_ understand... None of them would understand. She stared at her bloodstained hands, blankly, empty. She just needed to be alone...

-

"Sir, I don't think-- She needs to be by herself for a while."

"Right...yes. We don't know what she'll do..."

"No, sir. If I may--"

"We'll need to put her in private quarters," Shadis continued as if Erwin hadn't spoken. "Let's see... Elsa Lieberman was among the deceased, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes... We'll put her there for the time being. Watch her. Make sure she's stable. Where is she now?"

"At the stables with her horse, sir. Nanaba tried to get her come back, but apparently she got a bit...volatile."

Shadis raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, then if you can manage to move her..."

"I can, sir."

"Very well. You're dismissed, Erwin. Handle Hanji Zoe as you see fit."

"I will, sir," he replied, before turning on his heel and leaving.

She was exactly where Nanaba had said she'd left her. Leaning back against her gelding's front legs as he ate and drank. She had her arms looped loosely around her knees, her head leaning back against the horse's knee, hood pulled over her head and throwing her face into shadow.

"Hanji." He crouched down near her and touched her hand gently.

She yanked it away as Loki stamped his hooves anxiously.

"Hanji, it's me, Erwin," he said quietly. He reached up and pulled her hood down. Her eyes were red and swollen, a stark contrast to her pale, blood-spattered and tear-streaked face. Her goggles were shoved back into her hair. which was clumped into lanky strands that had dried together. She sniffled quietly, her shoulder jerking slightly with a choked sob. "You need to get cleaned up..."

"I c-can't..." she whimpered softly. "Jarvey....I..."

"Shh," the blond said, pressing a finger to her lips. He stood up and held out his hand.

She shook her head violently. "'M not leavin' Loki."

He sighed softly. "Loki will still be here. He won't leave you."

She swallowed hard, before reaching up and grasping the officer's hand. When she'd pulled herself to her feet. however, she whirled around and flung her arms around Loki's neck as she buried her face against it.

The gelding knickered quietly.

She sighed and stepped back.

The blond took her shoulder and guided her gently from the stables. He led her to the previously occupied room and suggested she clean herself up and get some rest.

"Hey... Erwin," she said quietly. She'd stopped in the middle of the rooom where he'd left her.

"Nanaba will bring your clothes."

"That's not...never mind. It's nothing."

"Alright."

-

He checked on her every day for the next week. For the most part, she stayed in the corner of the room at the head of the bed in her night clothes, her knees pulled against her chest as she stared into space. She barely even responded when he'd bring her food, and it was usually left untouched. On the firstday of the second week, however, he found her pacing the floor, her hand clutched around something that hung around her neck, just slightly below the hollow of her throat. "Hanji?" he ventured quietly.

Her eyes were a bit manic when they landed on him, her goggles laying on the floor beside the bed where they'd likely been since the first night. "Jarvey... Was there anythin' l-left of 'im?" she said, her voice cracking slightly from disuse.

"I'm afraid not," the blond replied sadly as the brunette's face fell. "However..." He dug into the breast pocket of his jacket for a few moments before holding his hand out. "I did find that on the ground."

She reached out and gasped as he released the worn necklace into her palm. "Oh my god..." she breathed.

"Yes?"

"This is his necklace," she said weakly. "His mother made the pair for us; gave 'em to us the night we graduated. I thought for sure it--THANK YOU, ERWIN!" she cried tearfully, burying her face against his chest and wrapping her arms around him.

You're welcome, Hanji," he answered, patting her head.

She pulled back, rubbing the tears from her eyes hurriedly. "...commander's prolly mad--"

"No, he understands, I assure you. Are you alright now?"

"Y-yeah," she said as firmly as she could, though he could tell from the way her hands shook as she clutched her friend's necklace to her chest that she wasn't being entirely truthful, with either of them.

But he wouldn't press her. If she had a particular way of dealing with her pain, he was in no position to question her. "Very well. Then you can move back into the barracks when you're ready."

"Alright... Erwin?"

"Yes?"

"'M sorry for not listenin' to you."

"It's alright." He reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately. "We're put on this earth to learn and grow. That'll never happen without a little risk."

"Learning is  _always_ worth the risk." She looked up at him, her voice confident oncemore. "I believe that."

The blond chuckled quietly. "You're going to change the world, aren't you?"

"Me an' Jarvey were gonna do it together," she said solemnly. "But I'll do it myself if I have to. We deserve to be free. An' I'm not gonna leave this world 'til we are!"

He smiled softly and patted her head. "A fine scout and comrade indeed."

-

 The next few years then seemed to pass uneventfully for the brunette. She threw herself back into her training and, though she refeused to communicaate with most of the regiment, preferring to either ignore the statements or answer them with as little as possible, she did seem to improve drastically when it came to following orders and cooperating with her squad. Despite that, she still had a tendancy towards an eccentric fighting style. On more than one occasion, her war cry had attracted the attention of about four Titans at once. But, to all appearances, she'd overcome all her fear. All that fueled her was anger. And she was bent on taking down every last one of the creatures who had ripped her family from her. To her very last breath, if need be.

It was a dull grey winter afternoon that found her perched in a tree near the training grounds, seemingly lost in thought as she stared through the nearly barren limbs at the sky.

Nanaba frowned as she looked up at the girl.  _Twenty one and she spaces out more than my great grandfather..._ "Oi, Hanji!" she called.

Hanji swung her foot that was hanging off the branch to show she was listening, but she didn't make a sound.

The blonde sighed tiredly.  _At least Mike talks..._ "Commander wants us to form up."

There was a grunt.

"C'mon, Hanji, we don--"

The brunette pushed herself off the limb and landed on the ground, brushing past the other girl silently. "Don't see what the rush is. Erwin's not s'posed to be back for an hour."

"How d'you keep track of time so well?"

Hanji shrugged. "Jus' do, I guess."

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Nanaba spoke again. "Y'know...Hanji?"

"Hn."

"If you ever need to talk, me and Mike'll listen. We might not understand, but--"

"No offense, Nanaba," the brunette said flatly. "But I don't need to talk. At least, not to anyone who won't understand."

The blonde sighed but let the conversation drop. It was best not to push Hanji. It wasn't that she had a hair-trigger temper, in fact, it was quite the opposite. It took quite a lot to  _truly_ piss Hanji Zoe off. But when you did, it was all over. She still remembered when another scout had tried to touch the box Hanji kept her most personal things in. Shadis had informed all of them to leave each other's personal belongings alone, so when the brunette saw the other girl touching her box she lost it. The blonde had just barely been able to pull her off the shorter girl before one of the female officers stepped in.

There was still a scar along the underside of her chin where Hanji had accidentally scratched her, breaking the skin open.

Nanaba rubbed the spot ruefully.  _If she can cause that much damage accidentally, I never wanna piss her off. I've seen the way she takes down Titans..._


	6. Fun and Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a difference between cockiness and confidence. But too much of either can be dangerous.

They stood in formation for what felt like forever as Shadis chewed them out. Hanji didn't hear her name, so she let the lecture roll right off her back like water off a duck's, giving only the proper responses when called upon.

Finally, Shadis disappeared, leaving them with the unspoken order to stay silent. A few momens later, he returned with three people, two men and a woman, dressed in the scout's uniform. "Attention! I'm here to present three recruits who will be fighting alongside you. Now, you three...introduce yourselves."

"Name's Levi," the shorter raven-haired man said.

"Isabel Magnolia,"  the pig-tailed woman piped up. "Nice to meet all o' ya!"

"I'm Farlan Church," the blond said. "...sir."

Hanji found herself staring, slightly open-mouthed, at the raven-haired man.  _How could he've completely skipped the training? What on earth is the commander thinkin' sendin' a buncha green horns on an expedition? They're gonna get us killed..._ She shook herself mentally, regaining her composure and straightening up.  _I really don't care. They're not in my squad, so they're not my problem._

 _You can't go through life alone._ Erwin's words seemed to echo in her mind.

_Why am I rememberin' that now... _

-

She leaned back against the wall of the library and let herself slide down with a sigh. She always came there after an expedition. It helped her forget the pain the expedition dredged up, helped her relax. She much preferred coming in when they were supposed to be in the mess hall. It meant she was completely alone with the books. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. She knew she should be eating, but she was nowhere near hungry enough to put up with the babble just to fill her stomach.  _Maybe I'll just go to sleep here..._

The door opened and shut quietly.

She didn't bother opening her eyes. A quietly shut door meant it was one of three people: Nanaba, Mike, or Erwin. If they needed something, they would tell her.

"Hanji."

 _Ah, so it's Erwin..._ "Hm?" She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "What is it?"

"You should be eating."

"'M not hungry. An' my head hurts. The racket makes it worse."

"That so? Very well. I have a request for you."

"A request? For what?"

"Well, it's more of an order, really. Straight from Commander Shadis."

She cocked her head to the side in confusion. "What'd I do wrong? I've been followin' the commander's orders..."

"Oh, no. Yo're not in trouble, Hanji. Follow me."

"Alright."

Erwin walked to the mess hall as she followed behind him. "Levi, come here."

_L-Levi?! What on earth, Erwin?!_

The raven stood up and walked over to where they stood. "What is it...sir."

"Hanji, I want you to mentor him. Show him about the finer points of his gear. Oh, and don't forget the horses."

The brunette swallowed hard, forcing her pride down with it. "Yes, sir," she said quietly.

"Yeah, whatever."

"We can start tomorrow morning," she said. "I'm sure Squad Leader Flagon won't mind, right?"

There was the slightest hint of a smirk on the blond's face. "I doubt it."

"Good! Then it's all set." She clapped her hands briefly. Anything to get this over sooner. "Meet me at the northeastern training grounds at dawn. And bring your 3DMG."

"Yeah, whatever. Can I go now?" he said to Erwin.

The officer nodded.

The brunette watched as the man stalked off. "He's not like Braun, is he? I might scream."

"No, he's not like Braun."

She frowned and shrugged. She'd do her job and be done.

The next morning dawned coldly, the sky a harsh steel grey.  _Hopefully we won't have an expedition until spring_ , she thought as she leaned back against the tree she was sitting in.  _I hate winter expeditions. The snow drives Loki mad..._ She heard the crunch of boots approach her. "You're late," she said.

"Be glad I even showed up."

She rolled her eyes.  _Sure acts like Braun._ She pushed herself off the branch and landed in a crouch. "Draw your blades," she said, rising to her feet.

"Why?"

"Don't question your superiors."

He scowled and drew his blades, pointing the right one at her throat. "Don't pull rank on me, you little bitch."

"I'm not," she said simply, unflinching as she stared at him. "But questioning your superiors, or even completely ignoring orders, can get your entire squad killed."

"We're not facing the bastards now, so it doesn't fuckin' matter," he shot back.

She stared at him evenly, their eyes locked."Move your blade, or I'll kill you where you stand."

He snorted. "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I? Not only is it illegal to draw those blades on a fellow soldier, it's an outright betrayal of the trust comrades should have for each other."

"And your point, Shitty Glasses? How would you kill me without breaking that law as well?"

"I don't need blades to end a human's life. Lower your blades. I won't tell you again."

He studied her for a moment. "Tch." He pulled the blade away. "I wouldn't want to dirty my blades with your blood."

She snorted. Drawing her own blades, she said, "Hasn't Flagon told you you're holding them wrong?" She tapped her blade against the one held in his right hand. "How d'you take down Titans like that?"

"I do fine. As if you're one to talk. Whooping like a moron. I'm surprised they even trust you to hold those blades at all."

"Simmer down, short stuff. I'm stillyour mentor."

"Don't call me short, or I'll gut you where you stand."

"Feisty, ain't'cha?" She laughed. Maybe he wasn't like Braun after all. "Alright, fine. You taught yourself how to use the 3DMG?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, for one, I'm gonna have to go back on what I said previously."

"Oh?"

"But only with this. Don't think coz it's tradition that it means it's the  _only_ right way to use the gear. Your method works for you, so use it." She smirked. "I don't always use my gear in the "traditional" way either."

"Whatever."

"Now." She spun her blades briefly before putting them away. "Erwin set up some practice Titans. Thre should be twenty of 'em scattered 'round us. Let's have a race, shall we? Ten minutes to find as many as possible."

"I don't even need five."

"Cockiness'll get you killed, Shorty."

"The hell d'you call yourself then, Shitty Glasses?"

"There's a big difference 'tween cocky an' confident, dear. You'll learn it soon enough. C'mon!" She fired her wires and launched herself into the tree. She swung herself up onto the branch and called down, "Ya think you're so good? Betcha can't find even half of 'em in five minutes!" She laughed at the dark look on his face. "What, did I strike a nerve, Shorty?" she taunted.

"When I'm done, I'm kickin' your ass."

"I look forward to it."


	7. Meaning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything has meaning. Sometimes it just takes a bit of time to figure it out.

It made her chest hurt, but she couldn't stop laughing. He'd won their bet, and immediately tried to hold up his threat, but she took off, taunting him into following her.

"He's...freakin' fast...for a shorty..."

"I'm gonna kick your ass, Four Eyes!"

"Gotta catch me first!"

She skidded to a stop in front of the stables, but it was only partially of her own volition.

Loki had reached out and grabbed the sleeve of her jacket.

"C'mon, boy, lemme go," she panted. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Levi bearing down on her. She tugged her arm, but the gelding refused to let go."Loki..." she whined. "Y'already ruined one of my jackets!"

He whinnied playflully and let go, tossing his head before nibbling at her hair.

She giggled and patted his neck. "There's my boy..."

Levi strode up to them. "So you came here? Why?"

She shrugged. "I hadn't seen Loki since the expedition..."

"Hn."

"Oh...Erwin told me to show you how to deal with the horses. C'mon." She motioned for him to follow her inside the stable.

"I know how to take care of my--"

"Just shut up."

He frowned as she forced the brush into his hands and then walked past him.

She unlocked the stalls and the gelding and mare walked into the open area between the rows. "Shut that door before they get out."

"Whatever." He shoved the door shut with his foot."

She shook her head. "Ass... Start brushin' 'er."

"Yeah, yeah."

The mare stamped her hooves uneasily and the brunette sighed. "No, you're doin' it wrong. Gimme the brush."

"What the fuck d'you know about horses?" he asked.

"A lot, actually." She snatched the brush from him. "Now, I know y'want her to be clean, but if y'force the brush inta her fur she's gonna get irritated." She ran the brush gently along the mare's coat. "How'd y'like it if someone pressed a brush inta your head?"

"I'd knock them the fuck out."

She snorted. "I've seen Sleepnir knock someone in the mouth real good before. You two are perfect for each other."

"Yeah, whatever..."

She ran the brush along the mare's side a few more times. "Here," she said, handing it back to him. "Just it like that."

"Yeah, sure..."

She went back to brushing Loki, silent for a few minutes before she spoke again. "Hey...Levi?"

"What."

"They say stuff behind your back, don't they?"

"The hell d'you mean, Four Eyes?"

"I mean like sayin' cruel things about you when they think you're not listenin'..."

"...no."

She laughed quietly. "Figures..."

"What d'you mean?"

"Braun's an ass. Mike's got the nose of a hound dog. No one ever says anythin' bad 'bout them..."

"What about you?"

"'M just a freak of nature..."

"Bullshit. If you were these horses wouldn't want anything to do with you."

"Hm. They're just 'bout the only creatres that want somethin' to do with me. Then again, after what I did, I guess I can't blame people for hatin' me.."

He glanced around the horses' chests. "What do you mean?"

"I basically killed Jarvis..."

"How could you "basically" kill a person, genius?"

"I was the one that convinced him to join the Survey Corps... 'S my fault the Titans ate 'im.."

"Bullshit."

"Huh?" She stopped brushing Loki's coat and stared at the raven in confusion.

"Did you tie him up and throw him to the Titans?"

"Well, no, but--"

"Then you're not responsible. His luck just ran out."

"But I was the one that unjammed the left side of his gear. I shoulda thought to check the right side too. Plus, I was--"

He grabbed her shoulders and yanked her away from the horse. "You. Are. Not. Responsible. Okay?" he said, shaking her firmly with each word. "You aren't responsible for his passing. Anyone coulda made a mistake. Anything can happen on a mission. Just don't dwell on it. It betrays their memory."

She stared at him quietly for a few moments. "...okay, Levi," she said finally.

He let go of her and returned to brushing his mare.

The brunette sighed and turned back to Loki's coat as the gelding flicked his tail to chase away a fly. She ran the brush along his side in silence for a few minutes. "Know what their names mean?"

He groaned in frustration. "What."

"Loki's named after the ancient Norse god of mischief. He was the brother of Thor, son of Odin. And a shapeshifter, too."

"Mischief, huh? No fuckin' wonder you two get along so goddamn well."

"Yep!" she replied as Loki whinnied.

Levi rolled his eyes.  _Fuckin' idiot..._

"An' ol' Sleepnir there's named after Odin's eight-legged horse that--"

"Hey, Levi!" The door busted open.

"Will you be quiet? God knows we don't need to get in trouble for riling the horses."

Hanji fell silent as she watched the pig-tailed girl fidget nervously before motioning for Levi.

"C'mon! You're being asked for."

"Fine, fine..."

And like that, they were gone, the brush forgotten on the floor.

"Freakin' idiots," she mumbled, slamming her brush down on the shelf and shutting the door they'd left open. She sighed.  _Why can't I shut up? I don't care about him. I don't babble like that around Erwin..._ She turned and walked back over to Loki, winding her arms around his neck and burying her face into his mane. "What am I doing, boy?"


	8. Realiizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A realization can be both a relief...and a bother.

It was nearly two months before they ran into each other. After a day of riding around the training grounds with Nanaba, Hanji had trudged into the mess hall to shut her stomach up.

She sighed softly. She really did hate being around this place. But as Nanaba had said, she needed to eat. God--she almost snorted at the thought. What god would curse the world to this hell?--knew she didn't need the medics fumbling over her. The last time, back on the first anniversary of Jarvis' death, when she trained to the point of unconsciousness, was more than enough. She groaned when the food was pushed in front of her.

"Don't complain. It's either you eat, or the medics poke and prod at you."

Hanji grimaced. She thought about whining that she was tired and just wanted a nice hot bath to wash the dirt away and relax her muscles, but she knew the blonde wouldn't listen. The heat would no doubt make her even more light-headed than she already was. She let out another sigh and picked up the spoon, pushing it into the soup and taking a sip.

In her peripheral vision, Nanaba relaxed visibly and started on her own food. After some time in silence, she spoke again. "So, you've improved."

The brunette snorted into her soup. "Seriously?  _That's_ your conversation starter?" She let a slight bit of incredulty slip into her voice. It had been six years since Jarvis' death, five years since her last breakdown, and her kill count was nearing triple digits. "Improved" was quite nearly an insult.

"Well, I had to start with  _something_ ," the blonde started, but she broke off when she saw the raven-haired head of the man they'd dubbed "The Vertically-Challenged".

He stalked over to the table--everywhere else was full as most scouts preferred to avoid the trigger-happy, crazed and bespectacled brunette--his lip threatening to curl in disgust. "This corner friggin' reeks."

Hanji rolled her eyes. It wasn't like everyone had his magical ability to repel dirt and sweat. "Sit if you're gonna. I don't care. I just sat here coz everywhere else is full." She went back to her food, trying to ignore the new feeling floating in the pit of her stomach that she always seemed to get when he's around. She hated it.

He slammed his food down and started eating, his nose visibly crinkled, as if he could block out the stench.

Nanaba watched the two eat in silence.  _It's almost like they're to pretend the other doesn't exist._ She smirked inwardly.  _I don't know why, but it's almost like seeing her with Jarvis again._ "So, Hanji?"

"Hm?" The brunette never lifted her eyes to look at the blonde, but the girl wwas more than used to it. Hanji listened to everything around; feinging indifference was part of her defense, to what Nanaba couldn't fathom.

"When do you reckon you'll be promoted?"

Hanji snorted.

The Vertically-Challenged's glare darkened.

"What?"

"You actually wanna talk about promotions?" the brunette said, finally looking up into the blonde's eyes, almost as if she were challenging the other girl.

Nanaba grinned. "Yep."

"Oh, Nanaba," Hanji sighed, only to be cut off by Levi's grumbled "don't get her started". "Pardon?" she asked.

"I was tellin' her not to get you started coz you never friggin' shut up."

Seeming not to hear him, though it was far more likely she was ignoring him as she did with most, she took a breath and began speaking. "Even though I've told you already, Nanaba, it was quite a long time ago. It takes a long time to be qualified to become an officer. There's a lot for the brass to consider. Shadis doesn't need an officer going rogue on him, for one. Plus, there's also the time y've given to the military. The surival rate is extremely low for the first mission. That's not to say there's a sure chance one will survive. After all, we're in a freakin' war with man-eatin' monsters. It's not really skill that keeps a person alive, though that does help. It--"

"Do you ever fuckin' shut up?" Levi snapped.

The brunette stared at him for a moment, perturbed at being interrupted as her train of thought was a fleeting thing, there one second and gone the next. "I do, actually. But as you're not my superior, I don't hafta. Plus, it annoys you."

The blonde went to speak, but before she could say a word, the raven snarled "Fuck this goddamn shit," and snatched his food up and stormed away. There was a loud clatter as he dumped the uneaten food into the trash and threw the dishes into the basin before storming out the mess hall.

"Well..." Nanaba bit her lip uncertainly.

Hanji felt something twist in her gut. She threw the bread she had been about to take a bite from back onto the table, where it ricocheted off the rim of the plate, thankfully not upsetting it or its contents, as she shoved herself away from the table, running from the room.

"Maybe that was a mistake..."

-

Erwin didn't look up as the door to his office slammed shut. There was only one person in all the walls... "Zoe."

"Don't call me that..."

He sighed and looked up when she slammed her hands flat on his desk, scattering papers to the floor. Her hair looked as if it dearly wanted to just fall completely out of the tie, there were smudges of dirt on her face,  hands and pants, and the distinct smell of sweat.

"Ha--"

"I'm sick of that jackass!" she snapped, interrupting him. "Do something about him, or I swear to God--"

"I thought you didn't believe in God."

"Oh, for the love of-- It's a damn figure of  _speech_!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. "I don't know why I even came to you--"

"Because Shadis doesn't let you destroy his office."

She cringed visibly and looked away.

"What's bothering you, Hanji?" he asked.

She bit her lip then and he knew it was going to tumble out in a convoluted mess. "I don't know, I just...Levi, he...fuck." She slumped down to her knees, the top of her ponytail just barely peeking over the top of his desk. It quivered once, twice. Then she let out a strangled sob.

The blond stood, making his way around the desk to kneel down beside her. "Hanji, come here," he said softly, pulling her wrist toward him gently. It seemed she needed no further encourgement and she collapsed against his chest, her body wracked with sobs. She hadn't been trying not to cry in front of him. She'd been trying not to cry  _at all_ , but it was clearly a losing battle.

He let her cry a few minutes, rubbing small circles between her shoulder blade to comfort her. When her tears slowed a little and she seemed to be breathing normally again, though she was still clinging tenaciously to his shirt, he said, "Can you tell me what's bothering you? It's alright if it's jumbled. But you clearly need to get it off your chest."

She sighed and pulled away from him, sniffling and drying her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. "I...I don't know, exactly," she said finally. "It just...Levi... He pisses me off, but..."

"What?" he pressed gently.

Her eyes locked with his own and he could tell she didn't understand it herself when she said "I just can't stay away from him no matter how hard I try..."

"I see." He took her hands to help her to her feet. "Just...try not to cause a problem, alright? If you have to, tell him--"

"Are you crazy?" she said, pulling away. "I can't tell him how I feel!"

"Why not?"

"I...don't even know myself..."

"Just think of him as your comrade. If you can do that, I'll be happy."

She nodded and climbed to her feet before crossing to the door, but when her hand landed on the knob, she paused. "...Erwin?"

"Yes?"

"I know Farlan and Isabel didn't return from the expedition, but..."

"They could be considered what Jarvis was to you."

She bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut as her grip on the knob tightened. She'd feared that. "And Levi doesn't have what I do..."

"Pardon?"

"You, Mike, Nanaba... Levi doesn't have anyone to keep him from breaking." She met his eyes then, still chewing her lip. "He's alone."

"Han--"

"Where is he?"

"What?"

"Where is he, Erwin?"

"Probably at the training field, but Hanji, I know what you're thinking. Don't push him. He--"

She grinned. "You let me worry about the shrimp, Erwin," she said, bounding out the door.

"What ever am I to do with her..."

-

_I had wondered why I'd wanted to talk to him then. But it's taken me six years to realize what Erwin, Mike, and Nanaba have been trying to do for me. And he does piss me off... Erwin's right though. I need to think of him as my comrade..._

Mumbling to herself and oblivious to her surroundings, she walked right past her most recent subject of interest. Ten paces away it dawned on her. "Oi, Levi!"

He growled. "The fuck do you want? Haven't you pissed me off enough today? And you  _still_ haven't showered, you filthy pig."

"It would be more condensed on you, Shorty," she quipped in return. He simply glared at her, so she went on. "I was just talking to Erwin," she said, watching him carefully. "Apparentl I was in the wrong earlier."

"Like it fuckin' matters."

"And," she continued, noticing his glare darken, "I should apologize. Comrades have to get along, after all."

"So...that's all you want?"

"Huh?"

"That's all you want? To be comrades? I thought you'd be like Isabel and--" He seemed to realize he was babbling. "Never mind."

"Yes, Levi. All I want is to be comrades. I'm not looking for friendship or anything else."

"Good. Because you won't get that shit from me." He turned on his heel and walked off.

She rolled her eyes.  _He mentioned Isabel though. So maybe he's not as solid as he'd like people to believe..._

-

The next expedition found them both screaming at their commanding officer.

"You've got be s--"

"I can't be on a squad with HIM!"

"Oh, like you're a joy to be around."

"I'm a right sight better than you."

"By whose judgement?"

"Everyone's."

"SILENCE!" Shadis roared, glaring at them as they quieted down immediately, Hanji's voice squeaking into silence in her throat. "Now, if I remember right, you questioned my authority on your first expedition, Miss Zoe."

Hanji cringed.

"And you're just a hassle regardless, Levi."

Levi looked away and grumled something under his breath.

"So. What you're going to do is shut up, suck it up and grow a pair, and follow my orders."

"Yes, sir," they mumbled in unison.

Hanji sighed. This was going to be a horrible next few weeks.


	9. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regardless of who makes the choice, every choice has its consequences.

Horrible was an understatement.

While the pull to be around him seemed to have grown stronger after discovering their similar hardships, he had also seemed to grow all the more irritating. It was like he knew exactly what to do to drive her up the walls. She wanted to scream. His nitpicking about her appearance was infuriating. They were in the field, for Sina's sake. None of them had the luxury of baths at the moment.

She sighed and let her head thump back against the tree she was leaning against.

It was nearing the end of the first week and Shadis had promised them at least two more, if everything went 'according to plan'. She bit back a snort of derision. If his plan was to drive her insane, he'd already succeded.

And, of course, Erwin had paired her with Levi.

"Freaking sadist," she muttered under her breath.

She could hear Levi's snort from a few tree's away, before the sound of an approaching Titan reahed her ears and she drew her blades slowly, scoping the forest floor below them, eyes narrowing behind her tinted goggles. Spotting it, she fired the wires and swung down to attack it, only for the creature to look up at the last second and swat her into a tree as her world went black.

"...don't know why she does things like this..."

Hanji opened her eyes slowly to see Levi staring at her.

"Good," he said shortly, standing up and walking away.

"What happened?" she asked, getting to her feet as well and inspecting her gear before fastening it back to her harness.  _At least it detached like it was supposed to..._

"Bastard slung you into a tree."

"Eh, had worse. My first horse bucked me right into a tree. She got so pissed at me she literally walked riht up to it and bucked me straight into the trunk."

Levi rolled his eyes, but said, "What did you do? Talk her ears off?"

It confused her that he was actually encouraging the conversation, but her head throbbed a little, just under her ponytail, where she'd hit the tree and it was far too much effort to question. "Actually, I did nothing. She just didn't like me. We fought for about three months before she bucked me, and that was when they swapped us and I got Loki--" She was cut off as his hand covered her mouth suddenly. She contemplated yanking it when she heard it. Another Titan approaching.

"Watch yourself this time," he said, pulling his hand away. "I can't keep saving your ass, you know."

"Shut up! I don't need your help!"

"You don't need anyone's help getting hurt, I know."

She growled and shouldered him into the nearest tree before launching herself into the tree limbs above them, ignoring his grumbled cursing.

Later that evening, they sat sattered around the camp, some nursing wounds and some just grateful that night was falling. Hanji was attempting to make herself comfortable in the semi-secluded spot near the edge of the clearing, head resting on her folded up jacket. She could hear Mike and Nanaba talking quietly not far away, and the blonde kept glancing at her as if she was worried. The brunette stifled a yawn as best she could as she closed her eyes, wishing everyone would stop worrying about her. "I can take care of myself," she mumbled.

-

The next morning there was a light breeze edging around them as they began to set out.

 Hanji had just pulled her jacket on when the realization dawned on her. Levi had never said he'd killed the Titan they'd encountered. "Hey! Levi!" she called, pushing her way past a few greenhorns to find the shorter man talking to Mike. She grabbed his wrist and yanked him away without explanation, ignoring the glare boring into the back of her head.

"The hell is your problem?" he snapped when she finally stopped.

"You never told me you killed that Titan yesterday."

"Because I  _didn't_. Fucker disappeared before--"

"Disappeared?" She stared at him in disbelief.

"I didn't stutter."

"No, I know, it's just...they shouldn't disappear."

He frowned, studying her face. "What're you thinking, Shitty Glasses?"

"I don't know," she murmured. "But that's never happened before. It  _shouldn't_ happen..."

"Well it did, and we just have to live with it. Mike said Shadis wants us to work together again."

"Again? Why?"

"Fuck if I know, but we need to get going."

"Whatever," she muttered, striding off to saddle Loki.

Not long after they were trotting down a path into the trees, slightly behind the rest of the legion.

She sighed, staring up into the trees as she distantly heard Shadis order them to disperse, watching the light flit in and out of the tree leaves. "Why don't we live here?" she asked quietly.

"Because Titans roam here?"

She shook her head and looked over her shoulder at him. "You grew up in the Underground, right? How was your first time outside the walls?"

"...before or after their deaths?" he muttered, looking away from her pointedly.

"Before, of course," she replied, but her tone was gentle, as if she understood more than she wished she did.

"...it was wonderful. I felt free and like I...I..."

"Belonged?" There was a small, knowing smile on her face when he looked up at her and nodded. "I know, I feel that way too. That's why I don't get why we don't take this land back. There are areas that Titans don't even touch. So why do we coop ourselves behind the walls like sheep?"

"Because the king is content."

"Damn right he is," she snorted. She frowned and turned around when Loki whinnied. "What is it, boy, what do you hear?"

The gelding snorted loudly and flicked his ears.

"We should get in the trees," she said. "Even and Abnormal won't go after horses."

He nodded and followed her into the trees. He frowned as she crouched on the limb next to him, one hand resting between her feet, the other arm resting against her thigh. "The hell are you doing?"

"Shut up, I'm listening."

He rolled his eyes.

She frowned slightly as she felt the limb tremble beneath her palm and stood up. "They're coming. We should move. We're too close to the others. We'll stand a better chance of picking them off if we're not so close to the others." She launched herself higher into the trees.

Levi pressed the triggers on his blades and frowned when they seemed to stick slightly. The grapples burried into the tree limb above like they were supposed to, and he nearly shrugged it off until he went to release the triggers and retract the wires, a harsh  _thunk!_ meeting his ears.

Hanji whirled around at the all too familiar sound. "Shit!" she cursed loudly, rushing back to her sqad mate. "Just hold still," she said as she landed on the limb.

"What the fuck else am I gonna do?"

"Shut up," she muttered, shoving his hands away from the gear before crouhing down and fiddling with the mechanics. She glanced up the wire's length. "...that's gonna hurt like a sonuvabitch. Watch yourself." She didn't say another word, and only squeaked once when the metal bit her fingers, jumping back as the wires snapped back into place as he landed back on the branch. "Lemme check the other side to be sure," she said, as the Titan drew closer. There was a soft  _zing!_ and she nodded, satisfied. "There. You should be good now."

"You're a genius."

"Everyone knows how to fix the gear," she scoffed, launching herself onto a higher tree limb and swinging herself onto it in a cat-like crouch, waiting as Levi followed her.

"No, like, I've never seen someone manipulate the gear like that."

"Praise me when we're bak inside the walls and not about to be eaten..." She launched herself towards the Titan.

-

 A few hours later, after they'd come back to camp and settled down for the night, Hanji marched herself over to where Shadis was seated with Erwin, discussing something in hushed voices, coming to a stop a few paces away and placing her hands on her hips.

"...yes, Mis Zoe?"

"I think we should end this expedition."

Erwin groaned and let his face fall into his hands in exasperation.

"...excuse me?"

"Yeah. The gear keeps hangin'. Somethin's clearly wrong with it and it's too dangerous to keep doing this."

She wasn't wrong, exactly. About four teams, other than hers and Levi's own, had developed issues with their gear. But to openly challenge the commander's orders was insanity. But...she was obviously concerned for her comrades.

"Let me see your hand, soldier."

A look of confusion passd across her features, but she held her hand out to her commander.

He turned it over once before examining her swollen index finger. "This is from where you were fixing Levi's gear."

"Yes sir," she said. "The wires were nearly vertical, so when they returned to their casing I could, unfortunately, not remove my fingers from its path quick enough."

He nodded thoughtfully before letting her hand go. "While I don't appreciate your impudence," he began as she cringed, "I do respect your concern for your comrades. However--"

"Sometimes our lives must be given for the sake of the mission. I understand that. But with all due respect, sir, forcing the soldiers to use even potentially malfunctioning gear disrespects the vows they've given."

"If only you weren't so hot headed you could be a great leader. We'll move back at dawn."

"Thank you, sir."

-

She sighed and ran her hair through her still-damp hair tiredly as she stared at the letter on her bunk.  _We just got back from the damn mission...._ "The hell is this?" she grumbled irritably.

"Probably another write-up," one of the girls said snidely from across the barracks. "You're always disobeying officers after all."

She snarled quietly, her lip curling slightly, until Nanaba stepped between them.

"Don't mind her, she's just jealous that Erwin likes you," the blonde said, smiling softly. "I doubt it's a write-up, from what Mike says."

The brunette picked up the letter and sat down on the bed, folding her legs underneath herself as her friend sat down beside her, leaning over a little to see. She opened the envelope and unfolded the letter.

_As the commanding officer of your squad, I would like to applaud you on your recent growth.  
Also, Rico wants to speak to you when you have some time._

_-Erwin Smith_

"I... He couldn't've just told me in person?"

"Well, Mike says he's really busy, so..."

"Whatever," Hanji mumbled, shoving the letter back into its envelope and pushing it under the bed. "I'll see if Shadis will let me make a trip to into town tomorrow."

"You're going to sleep?"

"Hell yeah. Stay there if you want, but don't bitch if I kick you."

Nanaba laughed. "Nah, I'll go to my own bunk and leave you alone," she said before disappearing to the top bunk.

As soon as Hanji had settled down under the covers, Nanaba's head appeared over the side of the top bunk. "What now?" the brunette wsighed, flopping back against her pillow.

"I was wondering if you wanted me to come with you."

Hanji stared at the wooden slats of the bed for a moment. She kenw she'd always picked at Rico during their training days, but the silver haired girl had traded her own insults as well. "I'm twenty one," she said finally, rolling away. "I can handle myself."

There was a quiet sigh. "Okay..."


End file.
